MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – You might think that in football the goal every week is to win, and while the Washington Commanders certainly want to do that at every opportunity, development is a priority.
From that perspective, the Commanders came to Florida to improve as players, coaches and as a team, as well as to strengthen their understanding of the players they have on their roster for 2024.
Head coach Dan Quinn left Miami and returned to Washington, and he believes his team did just that, despite Saturday night’s 13-6 loss.
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“We came here to say, ‘Get better,'” Quinn said after Saturday’s game. We had two opportunities to do that, at practice and at the game, and I think we absolutely accomplished that. That’s not going to reflect on the win count today, but you learn and get better in those moments. And knowing that’s valuable at the end of games. I love the guys, how tough they are, how hard they played for each other. … So it was a really good four days for us, learning a lot about our team. Hats off to (Dolphins head coach) Mike (McDaniel) and his staff, who were great hosts at practice and at the game — we knew it was going to be a good battle, and it was
Was.”
In their efforts to find the optimal lineup for their roster on the field, Coach Quinn and his staff have given players opportunities in positions they may not have had before.
For example, during joint practice, nickel corner Mike Sainristil was deployed on the perimeter a few times. In the game, we saw rookie receiver Luke McCaffrey intercept punts, receiver Kazmeir Allen run the ball, and undrafted free agent cornerback Chigozie Anusiem defend the slot inside.
It’s about finding out who they are as a team and giving individual players the opportunity to contribute to a winning team in new ways.
And even though Washington takes home a preseason loss, the lessons from that successful business trip will remain when the regular season begins and that loss has evaporated, and can translate into regular-season victories that are far more sustainable.
READ MORE: Washington Commander’s defense has ‘made long progress’ in learning and executing new scheme
Stay with CommanderGameday and the Commanders in the crosshairs Podcast for more FREE coverage of the Washington Commanders during the 2024 season.
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